Wildcard Distribution has acquired the distribution right of the skateboarding documentary Hill Street which features the legendary Tony Hawk. The announcement was made at Dublin’s Web Summit where Wildcard Distribution is taking part in the Alpha programme and where Tony Hawk himself has flown in to participate in the line-up.
Hill Street directed by JJ Rolfe and produced by Dave Leahy for Warrior Films premiered to a sold out screening at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and screened at the Galway Film Fleadh earlier this year.
Speaking about the acquisition, Patrick O’Neill, CEO Wildcard said: [quote]Wildcard are thrilled to be working with JJ and Dave to bring Hill Street to audiences in Ireland, and across the world in 2014. The filmmakers have shown fantastic vision, ambition, and skill in bringing this story of skateboarding in Dublin to life. It’s a fascinating film, with a cast of some of the world’s top skateboarders – including living legend Tony Hawk.[/quote]
Hill Street’s director JJ Rolfe added: [quote]I’m very happy and excited to be working with Wildcard for the distribution of Hill Street, they understand the project which is important for both Dave and myself and are able to give it the support it needs at a grassroots level while also keeping an international audience in mind. They are the perfect fit for us and have supported us through every step of this process[/quote].
The film which looks at the evolution of skateboarding culture in Ireland since the late 1980’s, is scheduled for worldwide release in early 2014.
Hill Street was produced by Warrior Films with support from the Irish Film Board.
The initial driving force behind the skateboarding scene was a proprietor of a unique skate shop in North Dublin inner city – “Clive’s of Hill Street”. From here Clive Rowen built primitive ramps at the shop before graduating to a temporary skate park in the Top Hat Ballroom in South Dublin. Clive even managed to convince a Powell Team, including the legendary Tony Hawk, to visit the park for a now historic demo.
His continuing efforts resulted in a leg of the European Skate Championships being held in Dublin in 1991. From these early days skaters from Hill Street eventually opened their own full time private skate parks which are open all across Dublin today.